Garion
]] Belgarion, originally Garion, was one of the Children of Light that certain prophecies spoke of, and was the King of Riva and Overlord of the West. Relationships Family Parentage/Ancestry The progenitor of Garion's line was Riva Iron-Grip, who was the youngest son of the ancient Alorn King, Cherek Bear-shoulders. It was Belgarath the Sorcerer who was enlisted by Riva, along with his father and brothers in a quest to reclaim the Orb of the god Aldur from Torak, the one eyed god of the Angaraks. Riva was the only man in the party who carried no ill intent in his soul, and was thus pure enough to carry the Orb from Torak's realm. After the Orb was reclaimed, Riva left his father's kingdom and founded the Kingdom of Riva on the Isle of the Winds. Later Riva married Beldaran, daughter of Belgarath, bonding the line of Belgarath to that of Riva. Generations later the Rivan line was, according to historians before Belgarion was revealed, broken due to the efforts of Nyissan assassins under the command of Queen Salmissra, who had been influenced by Torak. Little did the historians know that the Rivan line was saved due to the clever intervention of Belgarath and his second daughter, the sorceress Polgara. Through the centuries following, the two of them kept the Rivan line hidden maintaining only small families of two people and their child. Unbeknownst to any of these descendants, they all bore the mark of the Orb, a white circular birthmark in the palm of the right hand that had been in the Rivan line since the first child of Riva and Beldaran. Garion's father was Geran, a stonecutter in the Sendarian village of Annath. He was moved often by Polgara in order to keep him safe, and eventually married to Ildera, the daughter of an Algarian clan chief. Ildera knew when she was carrying Garion he would be the chosen man to save the world. Both were killed by Asharak a.k.a. Chamdar the Grolim, who set their stone house on fire through magic. Geran and Ildera died pushing a stone block out of one of the walls in order to save Garion from the fire. Belgarath pursued the Grolim for a time, but lost his trail. Polgara was eventually given the task of caring for the baby herself, and settled in Sendaria on a small farmstead owned by a kindly man named Faldor. Garion's only known "blood relatives" who were alive during his adulthood were his maternal cousin Adara; his distant aunt, grandfather, and grandmother: Polgara, Belgarath, and Poledra respectively; and his children. While the legendary sorcerer and sorceress were technically relatives separated by a plethora of generations, as Polgara reared Garion from a child, and Belgarath stopped by from time to time, they were family to him. Their bond strengthened even more so in the later years of his life. Durnik might have been considered as a father figure to Garion during his boyhood, as well as the other members of Belgarath's party in the quest for the Orb. Silk, Barak, Mandorallen, and Hettar all in some small way contributed to making this polite unassuming boy the King he was to become. Children He had two children with his wife Ce'Nedra, Geran and Beldaran. He loved them deeply, and was willing to go to war to protect his son. They were named after Garion's father Geran and Polgara's twin sister Beldaran, his distant grandmother. Their connection meant a great deal to him, and he always made time to spend with his family. The Voice of the Prophecy of Light promised Belgarion daughters after Beldaran, and it is possible that he had very many due to his and Ce'Nedra's long life expectancies (as Belgarion was a sorcerer and Ce'Nedra a Dryad). 'Romantic' Zubrette See Zubrette. His childhood sweetheart on Faldor's farm. As Garion and Zubrette grew up together, they had a mutual attraction. Garion would sneak her sweets from the kitchen in return for kisses, until Aunt Pol discovered them in the hay barn and put an end to it. Garion's first reaction upon learning he is leaving the farm is a momentary pang at leaving Zubrette behind. Garion later remarks that he's having trouble recalling the faces of his friends, presumably referring to Rundorig, Doroon, and Zubrette. When he returns briefly to the farm, Rundorig informs him that he and Zubrette have an 'understanding.' Garion, knowing she could not follow him, lies to Zubrette about how he feels. She leaves, and he never sees her again. Maidee While in Cherek, Garion had a short relationship with a girl named Maidee. The event occurred when he saw the sleds and engaged in conversation with her. After another boy saw this, Garion punched him and received a kiss from Maidee. She has never been mentioned in the series since. Ce'Nedra See Ce'Nedra. When Garion first met the Imperial Princess he took an instant dislike to her, as, when she traveled with them, she felt herself to be superior to them and treated him as a servant. They often argued, but often more out of something to do than any real annoyance - their relationship was complicated by their vastly different upbringings and personalities. Polgara, driven by her knowledge of the Prophecy, often threw them together, planting the seeds of their romance. However, it was Ce'Nedra who first realized she was in love with Garion, but refused to admit it openly. Circumstances intervened, and they were forced to marry, though neither was initially very happy about this. It was only after their quest was completed that both admitted that they loved each other and settled down happily. However, they grew apart; because they loved each other so much, each person had an enormous power to hurt the other. They didn't truly appreciate their love until it drove them apart. They were saved from total misery by Polgara and Errand, and they had a child, Geran. Ce'Nedra was nearly killed after an attempt was made on Geran's life. After he was kidnapped, both Ce'Nedra and Garion went to rescue him, although Ce'Nedra suffered from depression and magically induced madness during much of the time during the rescue. After Geran had recovered, they returned home, and settled back down again, having another child, Beldaran, later. History While Garion was still a baby, his parents were killed in a fire started by a Grolim priest known as Chamdar. Belgarath was able to save Garion from Chamdar, however, so Polgara took him to live at Faldor's Farm in Sendaria, where he lived until his early teens. He left the farm to embark on the quest to recover the Orb of Aldur, and although he did not know it at the time, it was on this quest that he would discover his heritage, and meet Ce'Nedra. Kept ignorant of his true identity, Garion grew up in the belief that he was an average Sendarian farmboy. His childhood was typical, playing games with his friends Rundorig, Zubrette, and Doroon all the while being watched over by his "Aunt Pol". There, he formed a solid bond with the local blacksmith, Durnik, who instructed him in traditional Sendarian values and ethics. There was also an itinerant storyteller, whom he called "Mister Wolf", who did almost as much to subvert the boy's burgeoning practicality and understanding of what is "possible" and "impossible". His life changed quite suddenly one day when he was caught kissing Zubrette in the barn. Later that night, Belgarath returned to the farm to inform Polgara of the theft of the Orb. Reluctant to leave Garion alone with the precocious Zubrette, Polgara insisted on taking him with them. Accompanied by Durnik, they set out on a quest to find the Orb. Fearing that their enemies would track them, Garion and Durnik were kept in the dark as to the nature of the quest. Along the way, Garion met their other companions, Barak and Silk. Being young, Garion often felt isolated and excluded from the proceedings. This was exacerbated by Silk's offhand remarks concerning Garion's relationship to Polgara and his ethnic background. These questions of identity often caused him to lash out in anger, particularly when his questions were sidestepped or outright ignored by Polgara and Belgarath. This led him to making rash, rebellious decisions, such as riding through the Cherek Bore or going on a boar hunt in Val Alorn. Nevertheless, Garion proved to be remarkably perceptive, and a fast learner. Guided by Silk, he became an able user of the Drasnian Secret Language over a short period of time. Also, while no one could mention what the quest was, Garion quickly put together that it was the Orb that they were pursuing. While in Cherek, Garion's good sense and quick mind would come into play when he exposed the Earl of Jarvik's attempted coup against King Anheg. There, he would meet other Kings of the West, as well as the Horse-Lord, Hettar. Finding themselves in Arendia, Garion's suspicions about the quest are confirmed, even as he still struggled to come to terms with the true identity of his "Aunt" Pol. Meeting the Arend Lelldorin, Garion learned of a plot against the Arendian King Korodullin. With the help of the Mimbrate Arend Mandorallen, he was able to expose the Murgo Nachak. Shortly thereafter, the party traveled to Tolnedra, where Garion met Ran Borune XXIII and his daughter, the spoiled, willful Princess Ce'Nedra. ]] As the quest to retrieve the Orb wore on, Garion began to tap into the power of Sorcery. While initially spontaneous, his first open act was the burning of the Grolim Chamdar in the Wood of the Dryads. Repulsed by this, as well as Polgara's encouragement of it, left him in angst. Seeing this power, he was then kidnapped by Salmissra, who hoped to use him as a servant until she could deliver him to Torak. She is foiled by an assault led by Polgara and Barak. Garion came to terms with his identity as a sorcerer and sought tutelage in the art from Belgarath while in the Vale of Aldur. The quest came to a successful conclusion, when the party (save Ce'Nedra) traveled to Cthol Murgos to confront Torak's disciple Ctuchik. A battle between Belgarath and Ctuchik ensued, but only ended when the child that took the Orb, Errand, tried to give it to Garion. Ctuchik, in a panic, attempted to unmake the Orb, which then rebounded to him, destroying him entirely in the process. Traveling to Riva, they stopped in Algaria where Garion met his cousin, Adara. This revelation shocked and delighted both relatives. They quickly became close, and Garion's loss of identity became less profound. Prodded by Adara, Garion transmuted a flower for her as a demonstration of his abilities. At Riva, Garion is selected to bring forth the Orb and place it back on the pommel of Iron-Grip's Sword. Here, Garion's identity is at last revealed: he is the true King of Riva, the Heir of Riva Iron-Grip, and the Overlord of the West. He also learned of his preordained engagement to Ce'Nedra. However, with the awakening of Torak imminent, there were more pressing matters; namely, The West faced a seemingly endless war with the hosts of Angarak. Realizing this, Garion learned of another option: facing Torak directly in a one-on-one duel. Fleeing into the night in the company of his grandfather, Belgarath, and the thief, Silk, Garion set off for Mallorea. Traveling first through Gar og Nadrak, Garion witnessed the divisions among the Angaraks, with the Nadraks not interested in fighting another war. Garion and his companions flee the country only to find themselves in the frozen wastes of Morindland. There, he witnessed Belgarath summon a Demon using the dangerous art of Magic. Emerging victorious, they cross the land bridge into Mallorea. Eventually, they make it to the ruins of Cthol Mishrak where they arrive at the remains of Torak's tower, while also learning that Polgara, Durnik, Ce'Nedra, and Errand had been abducted and brought to the City as well. Holding them hostage was Zedar the Apostate. After a struggle with Durnik, Zedar kills the man. Garion, Belgarath and Silk rush in and confront Zedar. But Torak was already beginning to revive. Torak then reached out with his mind attempted to subdue Polgara. If he could find one person to love him, Torak would win the battle. Garion realized this, and threw every thought and memory of Durnik at Polgara. The strategy worked; by reviving Polgara's resolve, it allowed her to reject Torak. The true battle began then, with Torak and Garion both growing in size. A fierce duel ensued, with Garion wielding the Sword of The Rivan King and Torak with Cthrek Goru. The Dragon-God then directed his Will at Garion attempting to subdue him. But Garion now knew that he did not have to defeat Torak by force; all he had to do was simply reject him. With this final rejection, Garion was able to destroy the Dark God. Following Torak's defeat, the six other Gods descended to earth to mourn their fallen brother. With the aid of the Orb and the Gods' power, Garion successfully revived his friend Durnik. Upon the party's return to Riva, Garion married Princess Ce'Nedra. And for a time, the world was peaceful. In his life he gained the titles King of Riva, Overlord of the West, Lord of the Western Sea, Keeper of the Orb of Aldur, and Godslayer. He is also referred to as the title Child of Light in the Mrin Codex and other prophecies, which means the Voice of the Light habitually checks on him to offer advice, criticism, and, should he need it, instruction. Among Belgarion's most important accomplishments are the slaying of the god Torak, and the result of the quest that ended at the Place Which Is No More (Korim) which made Eriond the new God of the Angaraks. Powers and Abilities Like his aunt and grandfather, Belgarion was an extremely powerful sorcerer and therefore had an extended lifespan, like his relatives (being disciples of gods allowed mortals to live for an indefinite amount of time). Garion had an exceptional talent in the Will and the Word, but was often unaware of the consequences of his actions. For example, he almost triggered an ice-age (via a chaotic chain reaction) whilst creating a thunderstorm. He was not completely inept; however, although this was mostly because the Prophecy of the Light was able to communicate with him through thought, and his tutors in sorcery were Polgara and Belgarath. The first measure of his power was shown to Polgara and Belgarath when he cured a madman - this does not sound extremely difficult for a sorcerer, but in order to do so, he had to understand fully the nature of the insanity, which Belgarath and Polgara both admitted they couldn't dream of doing; it should be noted that at the time he was unaware of his powers and did it entirely on instinct. He also is the only person to have ever revived the dead without the assistance of a God or the Orb of Aldur, though it utterly exhausted him, and he was only reviving a baby horse. Early on, he mainly used "spontaneous sorcery" meaning he did it without realising it or gathering his will. The prophecy was also able to act through him, by using his body, and did so many times. Later on he became able to control his sorcery with little effort, and went on to perform many acts of "proper" sorcery- he was particularly fond of shape shifting and, like many of his family, enjoyed and has an affinity for the wolf form. As the keeper of the Orb of Aldur, and the only remaining descendant of Riva Iron-grip, Belgarion was one of the few people who were able to touch it without being destroyed - an ability he shared only with the Gods and his only son Geran. He was able, due to his connection to the Prophecy, to quote the Book of Alorn in its entirety, despite never having actually read it, and it is claimed he could have done so from the cradle, had he been asked. He was also a skilled swordsman, to the point which his son Geran stated that, "when got his sword out, most sensible people ran for cover," with his sword being the Sword of the Rivan King. Personality Raised on Faldor's Farm, Garion demonstrates all the prized attributes of a Sendarian farmer, which he extended to ruling Riva with relative ease. He had a streak of solid common sense, honesty, and unassuming charm. His ability to see everyone as an equal has given him many allies. As he matured, Garion used these qualities to deal with more 'world-wise' monarchs and politicians in a manner they were unfamiliar with, thus making Garion a very powerful ruler. He'd also grown duplicitous enough to use his rural background as a way of pointing out that he had not had instruction in intricate proprieties of certain groups - the Mimbrate chivalry and the obscure Sorcerer's code of ethics, for example, (assuming there actually was such a code and Belgarath wasn't dodging questions). As he put it, "Let's agree I don't have very good manners, and you can answer me anyway". Belgarion's upbringing also made him aware of the common people, and he had a shopkeeper friend in Riva he periodically visited to listen in order to find out what was troubling the commoners. Normally, rather than use this to ferret out secrets, Belgarion applied what he learned to smoothing out injustices, such as unfair taxing, though he did occasionally use it to obtain useful information. However, when truly angered, he did have a violent and impulsive streak, and became cold and ruthless, particularly when his family was concerned. He loved his family and felt deep loyalty to his companions, being willing to die for any of them. He had several long standing jokes with various companions, and learned a great deal from each of them. Through Silk he learned a streak of deviousness and cunning, from Barak and Mandorallen he became calmer and more deliberate, and from Hettar, Urgit and Zakath, he became more tolerant, and was the first Alorn, it is said, to have a Murgo as a friend in over 2000 years. Despite all this, he was by no means vain or arrogant, often becoming embarrassed at the obedience and behavior of others around him, though he grew more used to this. His power often intimidated people, as did his unassuming dismissal of it - in particular he unnerved Zakath when he explained the power of the Orb - he explained how it could write his name in stars across the sky, but he wouldn't even consider it as it would look so ostentatious. Category:"Garion" universe Category:Children of Light Category:Disciples of Aldur Category:Kings of Riva Category:Alorn Sendars Category:Algar Sendars Category:Characters